Apparatus and methods for renting and controlling occupancy of a vehicle

• US 9,442,888 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zipcar Incorporated (Avis Budget Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zipcar Incorporated (Avis Budget Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stanfield, John, Gires, Clement
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T
• Application Number:
  US13/788,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/2, 701/29.3, 701/29.6, 701/31.5, 701/32.3, 701/32.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0035 characterised by the sensor data transmission, e.g. wired connections or wireless transmitters therefor; characterised by the sensor data processing, e.g. seat sensor signal amplification or electric circuits for providing seat sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/24 Cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/10 using a database
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/10 Wired data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/20 Wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/268 on windscreens or windows B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5037 the display content changing automatically, e.g. depending on traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/508 specific to vehicles driving in fleets or convoys
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/56 Control of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 : Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

One variation of a method for renting a vehicle includes: receiving a signal from a fleet manager, the signal specifying a current availability of the vehicle for rent; updating a visual indicator arranged on the vehicle according to the signal, the visual indicator visually detectable from outside the vehicle; receiving identification information of a user proximal the vehicle; enabling access to the vehicle for the user in response to verification of the user as a driver of the vehicle; determining, through a sensor arranged within the vehicle, that the user is seated in a driver'"'"'s seat within the vehicle; and enabling ignition of the vehicle for the user in response to determination that the user is seated in the driver'"'"'s seat.

Claims

1. A method for indicating whether a vehicle is available for use by a user and permitting use of the vehicle by the user, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a computing device in the vehicle, an indication signal from a fleet manager server, the indication signal specifying the vehicle is available for reservation;

providing, by a visual indicator arranged on the vehicle such that the visual indicator is visible to the user outside of the vehicle, a visual indication that the vehicle is available for use based on the indication signal such that the user outside of the vehicle can ascertain the availability of the vehicle;

receiving, by the processor, identification information of a user proximal the vehicle;

verifying the user as a driver of the vehicle;

receiving, by the processor, from the fleet manager server, a command to enable access to the vehicle for the user in response to the verification of the user as the driver of the vehicle;

enabling, by the processor, in response to the command received from the fleet manager server, access to the vehicle for the user; and

after enabling access to the vehicle, changing, by the processor, the visual indicator such that the visual indication is that the vehicle is unavailable for use.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a light source and providing the visual indication that the vehicle is available to use comprises emitting a first color of light from the light source to indicate the vehicle is available for use.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a light source that is arranged on a rearview mirror assembly within the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the light source comprises a multi-color LED, wherein a first color of the multi-color LED is a blue hue and a second color of the multi-color LED is a green hue.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the identification information of the user comprises receiving identification of the user through an RFID reader configured to download information from an employee badge issued to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the identification information of the user comprises accessing information from a rental account of the user in response to receiving an image of a portion of the vehicle, wherein the image is captured by the user with a mobile computing device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the image comprises an image of a quick-response barcode arranged on and unique to the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling access to the vehicle for the user comprises unlocking a driver'"'"'s door of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the user is seated in the driver'"'"'s seat comprises polling an output of a seat occupancy sensor arranged within the driver'"'"'s seat.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the user is seated in the driver'"'"'s seat comprises accessing GPS data of a mobile computing device carried by the user and correlating a position of the user with the driver'"'"'s seat based on a comparison of a GPS position of the mobile computing device and a GPS position of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling ignition of the vehicle comprises enabling the user to start the vehicle through a native application executing on a mobile computing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling ignition of the vehicle comprises remotely activating an ignition system of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising tracking a location of the vehicle while occupied by the user.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising updating the visual indicator to specify unavailability of the vehicle in response to verification of the user as the driver of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining, using a sensor arranged within the vehicle, that the user is seated in a driver'"'"'s seat within the vehicle; and

enabling an ignition function of the vehicle for the user in response to the determination that the user is seated in the driver'"'"'s seat.

16. An apparatus for incorporation in a vehicle for ascertaining whether the vehicle is available for use by nearby users, the apparatus comprising:

a visual indicator having a housing for arrangement on the vehicle such that the visual indicator is visible to a user outside the vehicle, and providing an indication that the vehicle is available for use;

an output module electrically coupled to a door locking function and an ignition function of the vehicle;

an input module configured to receive a signal from a sensor arranged within the vehicle;

a wireless communication module configured to communicate with a fleet manager server; and

a processor and a memory storing instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

provide, by the visual indicator, a visual indication that the vehicle is available for use based on an indication signal received from the fleet manager server, wherein the indication signal specifies the vehicle is available for reservation or use,

enable, in response to a command from the fleet manager server, access to the vehicle for the user by unlocking a door of the vehicle, and

change the visual indicator such that the visual indication is that the vehicle is unavailable for use.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the visual indicator comprises a light source arranged on a rearview mirror assembly within the vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising a housing configured to couple to an interior surface of a window of the vehicle, wherein the visual indicator comprises a light source arranged on the housing.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine that the user is seated in the driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle according to the signal received from the sensor via the input module, and

enable the ignition function of the vehicle via the output module based on the seating position of the user.